Meet Oleh Horb, a passionate barista from Ukraine, who due to the full-scale war, has been living in Bratislava for the last two years. He is 27 years old, but he feels like an old man sometimes, We guess many folks working in hospitality can relate to that! Oleh works as a barista at 6:57 A.M., a new coffee shop in town, where he’s trying to set some new trends in the coffee community.
Oleh won the Slovak AeroPress Championship and represented the country this year during WAC in Lisbon. He definitely got bitten by the competition bug and has already plans to compete in various places in the next season, We can’t wait to see Oleh on stage again!
Oleh, what is your first memory with coffee?
Ugh… Once in my childhood, I tried a very bitter, unpleasant drink that didn’t taste good, but all the adults drank it, so I drank it too to seem more grown-up. The taste didn’t matter back then… but now things are different.
What inspired you to pursue a career in the coffee industry, and how did you get started? What did you do before coffee?
Honestly, it happened by accident. Around 2020, I started brewing coffee at home (first with a moka pot, then a French press, and after that, things got blurry because I kept getting more and more devices). At some point, I even wanted to work in a coffee shop, but it’s funny—I didn’t pass the interview for a runner position because I was “too old and established” (haha), so I kept working in phone support for a bank.
Then came volunteering at a radio station in Bulgaria, where I went with just an AeroPress. That’s probably when my love for experimenting with the AeroPress began. And then, a bit later, the full-scale war in Ukraine started, and I moved to Bratislava, where I unexpectedly found a job at a bakery. There wasn’t specialty coffee there, but there was an espresso machine, so it was a new challenge for me… and here I am now.
Tell us a bit about the place you work at. What is your role there?
6:57 A.M. is super small but cosy. The concept is to be closer to the visitors, so we don’t have a big, closed bar and try to create an atmosphere like sitting with friends in the kitchen—just like at home. If you feel like it, you can come and brew a hand-brewed coffee with us; we’ll be happy to show and explain. My job there is pretty simple—to make delicious coffee, create a pleasant vibe, and occasionally choose the coffee we’ll be brewing, so we have plenty of room for experiments. At least that’s how I see it.
What kind of experience do you want your customers to have when they visit you at the cafe?
First and foremost, guests should receive pleasant service and a delicious cup of coffee. We try to stay as far from snobbery as possible; our goal is to provide people with information about coffee and its diverse flavors and let them choose what they want to drink. Our goal is to make it as comfortable and tasty as possible.
What is your favourite part of the day in your cafe, and why?
It’s hard to say… but maybe it’s the morning setting of the espresso and batch brew. It’s a bit of a ritual and feels like a responsibility because you taste everything and try to make it as delicious as your knowledge and skills allow.
How do you stay motivated and inspired to keep improving your coffee-making skills?
Probably, staying mega-motivated all the time isn’t possible. There are moments that feel like burnout, and that’s okay—it’s not just with coffee. It’s something you can learn from coffee. For me personally, the experimental aspect of working with coffee keeps me going. Trying something new and attempting a different approach is a way to get a bit of dopamine and show you know what you’re doing.
What are the current trends in cafes in your region? Are there any trends you promote yourself and would like to see more often in other places?
I often encounter infusions and co-fermentation, which saddens me a little, though I understand why and what it’s about. But I think this trend is starting to decline, which is pleasing. Perhaps the recent trend (maybe we promoted this a bit) is shifting work hours to earlier. We open at 6:57 on weekdays and 8:00 on weekends. That’s another part of our coffee shop’s concept—coffee for everyone, even if you need to be up super early for work or school.
You have some amazing achievements in championships. Can you tell us more about them? What are the next championships you’d like to compete in?
This year, I participated in competitions for the first time (Slovak AeroPress, Polish AeroPress qualifier, and World AeroPress Championship). I didn’t have any expectations, but I got a lot of fun and interesting acquaintances. After this experience, I can divide the competition into two stages:
1. The preparation stage, where you showcase your skills and knowledge, often discovering something new and unexpected that you weren’t even looking for.
2. The fun part—after preparing, there shouldn’t be any worries or stress; there’s a recipe, so just brew it and focus on being in the present moment, on the atmosphere, the communication, and having fun. It should be enjoyable — otherwise, what’s the point?
What’s next? Definitely the Slovak AeroPress Championship, maybe a qualifier in Poland or the Czech Republic. I’m open to anything as long as it’s fun, and if not, I’ll come to your championship and bring the vibe.
How did it feel to compete on the World AeroPress Championship stage?
I was overwhelmed with emotions—it was pleasant and comfortable, but sometimes anxiety and nervousness hit me; however, I managed it. I liked that you don’t dive straight into the competition but have time to meet people and just vibe and enjoy being surrounded by champions. I didn’t expect anything, so I was pleasantly surprised to make it to the quarterfinals. To sum up, it was an incredible vibe — I want more… haha!
Is AeroPress your favourite brewing method?
Absolutely yes—I love the versatility of the AeroPress. I also enjoy brewing with different drippers though. The AeroPress has been with me in many different situations, so I probably feel an additional sentimental attachment to it.
What is in your opinion the most important thing to have in mind when you start to compete in coffee championships?
In my opinion, the most important thing in competitions is having fun. Of course, winning is great, but if you focus only on the competition, I think you lose the sense of the coffee community. You need to be here and now, experience the atmosphere, make connections, have fun, and do something cool for the coffee community, so you want to return again and again.
What are your passions/hobbies besides coffee?
That’s probably the hardest question here. When people ask about my hobbies, I always talk about coffee, because that’s true—my whole life is built around coffee, and without it, life wouldn’t be the same. So many things in my life happened thanks to coffee… but I do have some interests besides coffee.
Sometimes I write, I run, recently I’ve rediscovered cycling and loved it, and I get an incredible thrill from music. Like coffee, there’s a lot of room for exploration and discovering new things there… enjoying a delicious coffee with good music is pure pleasure.
What coffee challenges are you looking forward to? Any new projects or collaborations?
No collaborations are planned at the moment. It’s all pretty routine—I work, try to develop, and do it well, so my collaboration is only with coffee!
Quick Fire Questions for Oleh Horb:
Would you serve filter coffee with milk, if asked for it?
Yes.
Do you ever take sugar with your coffee?
Probably yes.
Espresso or Filter coffee?
Filter absolutely!
Milky or Black?
Black.
Do you aim for Sweetness, Acidity, or Body?
I’m looking for a coffee with the perfect balance.
Slurp or Spit?
Slurp.
Favourite piece of barista equipment?
I’m obsessed with it all, so I like everything
The number one coffee shop in Europe that every coffee geek should visit is:
Kaviareň Vták in Bratislava.
